WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A tiger born at the Sedgwick County Zoo will soon have a new home.
Zoo officials say Natasha, the Amur tiger, will be sent to the Alaska Zoo later this month. In 2019, Natasha underwent surgery to remove a mass that required her to be spayed. Because of the surgery, she cannot participate in the breeding program and is being transferred to another facility.
Natasha and her brother Tsar were born at the zoo in 2013. Her mother, Talali, died in November 2019.
Tsar now lives at the Como Zoo in St. Paul, Minn., where he fathered two cubs born in August. Natasha will be the first Amur tiger for the Alaska Zoo.
Amur Tigers, also known as Siberian tigers, are native to Russia but have been found in China and Russia. Unlike lions, the endangered species is a solitary predator.
Natasha’s last day at the zoo is Sunday.